João Marcos Rosa

Harpia
Harpia

João Marcos Rosa

Harpia

Brasil 2009

A harpia em seus domínios na Floresta Nacional de Carajás, Pará l The harpy in its area in the Carajás National Forest, Pará

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Originalmente, as harpias habitavam as ﬂorestas tropicais entre o sul do México e o norte da Argentina. Nos vales da Floresta Nacional de Carajás a espécie ainda se mantem em equilíbrio l Originally the harpy eagle inhabited the tropical forests from southern Mexico to northern Argentina. This species is still living in balance in the Carajás National Forest valleys

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O olhar vigilante da fêmea varre o dossel no entorno do ninho. Com apenas 2 meses, o ﬁlhote de harpia ainda é muito vulnerável. O papo cheio revela que ele acabou de ser alimentado. Carajás, Pará l The female’s watchful eyes scan the canopy in the vicinity of the nest. Only two months old, the nestling is still very vulnerable. The full crop shows that it has just been fed. Carajás, Pará

It was with great honor that I accepted the invitation to participate in this book of wonderful pictures, which crowns the work on the Harpy, one of the species I admire the most. And before all, I leave the reader an invitation: Come visit the Carajás National Forest. It owns an indescribable beauty, an immense diversity of plants and animals, and it is the landscape in most of the pictures in this book. The Carajás National Forest is an area of 400 thousand hectares (988.4 acres) of protected land and signiﬁcant sample of Amazonian biodiversity. The forest borders four other preserved areas as well as an indigenous reserve. This mosaic of protected areas, within a one-million-hectare area of continuous rainforest, has become the biggest remaining preserved ecosystem in southern and southeastern Pará. For the great anthropogenic pressure in this part of Brazil, Carajás National Forest became shelter for several species of the rare and endangered fauna and ﬂora. The Canopy Queen Among the more than 600 bird species already catalogued in Carajás, one can ﬁnd the largest Brazilian eagle, the Harpy Eagle. The ﬁrst accounts of seeing this species have been reported in the region since the ﬁrst time there was a published list of birds. Two nests have recently been discovered – both with couples actively reproductive – indicating environmental protection. A preserved area is the primary requirement for the couple’s choice of a growing tree that will provide them with a good view of the whole forest. A good vista will allow them collect sticks for nest maintenance and mainly hunt in a deﬁned territory, ensuring the survival of future generations. Studies of bioindicators, such as the Harpy Eagle, are fundamental tools for the management of a conservation unit. They help interpret the environment and direct priority actions for achieving the ultimate goal of any protected area: The conservation of their ecosystems. The ﬁnding and monitoring of these two nests raise some questions, such as the need to restrict the use of nesting areas, ranging from protection of the trees used for its construction to protection of the territory of the Harpy couples.

Awareness and union The beauty and grandeur of the Harpy Eagle promotes the interest in knowing and preserving our biodiversity. Thus being the environmental education such an important tool to raise awareness of the surrounding forests dwellers. The accounts and information acquired from monitoring the nests have been shown in science fairs, academic lectures, and social works. These actions have raised awareness of the forest’s neighbors for the importance of environmental protection. The discovery of the ﬁrst nest incited a strong partnership for the protection of these species. Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation (ICMBio), paved the way to the Harpy Eagle Protection Program by supporting the Carajás National Forest in becoming an important area in the studies of the Harpy. The mining company Vale, an environmental responsible company, has embraced the program providing necessary resources for sharing research and visual records. The National Institute for Amazonian Research (INPA), a specialized institution in the region, coordinates activities in Carajás. With all its experience in this forest it is planting a seed that is already beginning to bear fruits. The second nest found further strengthened this partnership. The ﬁnding encouraged each institution to reﬂect on their role in controlling human predatory activities, particularly deforestation and replacement of forests in landscapes that do not allow preservation of biodiversity. Group work among the institutions involved in this project will open up, with realism and maturity, new ways toward the protection of the Harpy Eagle in Brazil.

O macho busca materiais que servem tanto para fazer a manutenção do ninho quanto para cortejar a fêmea no período de acasalamento. Carajás, Pará l The male looks for material, which is used for nest maintenance, as well as to court the female during mating. Carajás, Pará

Observada de um helicóptero, a Floresta Nacional de Carajás causa a impressão de ser uma superfície impenetrável l Watched from a helicopter, the Carajás National Forest seems to be an impenetrable surface

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Detalhes de uma pena de ﬁlhote, coletada sob a árvore do ninho Águas Claras. Carajás, Pará l Detail from a nestling’s feather picked under the tree where the Águas Claras nest is located. Carajás, Pará

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A população local ajuda a encontrar e a monitorar ninhos. Estes folheiros de jaborandi auxiliam os pesquisadores em campo, que buscam novos ninhos enquanto trabalham na ﬂoresta. Carajás, Pará l The local people help ﬁnd and monitor nests. In the ﬁeld these jaborandi reapers assist researchers who look for new nests while working in the forest. Carajás, Pará

A presa levada pelo macho alimentará a fêmea e o ﬁlhote de apenas um mês. Durante os dois primeiros meses a mãe permanece sempre próxima ao ninho e somente o macho caça. Carajás, Pará l The prey taken by the male will feed the female and the one-month-old nestling. Until the nestling reaches two months of age the mother remains close to the nest and only the male hunts. Carajás, Pará

Alunos da escola Jorge Amado, no entorno da Floresta Nacional de Carajás, participam de uma palestra sobre harpias. Os pesquisadores buscam na educação ambiental uma ferramenta capaz de sensibilizar as comunidades e torná-las parceiras do projeto. Carajás, Pará l Students at the Jorge Amado School in the vicinity of the Carajás National Forest participate in a class about the harpy eagle. Researchers use environmental education as tool to have the community sympathize with the project and become partners in it. Carajás, Pará

Apreendido pela equipe do ICMBio na casa de um agricultor, esse indivíduo passa por processo de reabilitação na Fundação Zoobotânica de Carajás. Ele está sendo preparado para, quando for devolvido à natureza, levar consigo um radiotransmissor l After being seized in a farmer’s house by the ICMBio team this animal is going through rehabilitation process at the Carajás Zoobotanica Foundation. It is being prepared to carry a radio transmitter when it returns to the wild

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O avanço das fronteiras agropecuárias é uma das maiores ameaças à espécie. Na imagem, observa-se a pastagem avançando até o rio Parauapebas, fronteira natural da Floresta Nacional de Carajás l The expansion of farming is one of the biggest threats to the species. In the picture, there is a pasture land moving towards the Parauapebas River, natural border of the Carajás National Forest

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Imponente, a maior ave de rapina das Américas observa a ﬂoresta do alto de uma castanheira l The largest bird of prey of the Americas looks imposingly at the forest from the top of a chestnut tree

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On this male’s leg there is an injury which was probably caused by a prey during the hunt. Carajás, Pará l This male’s injury was probably caused by a prey during the hunt. Carajás, Pará

A bióloga Helena Aguiar coleta dados sobre a alimentação da espécie. Sua tese de mestrado, realizada em Parintins, mostrou que 99% das espécies predadas eram arborícolas. Os bugios (à direita) fazem parte dessa dieta l The biologist Helena Aguiar collects data on the eating habits of the species. Her master’s thesis, written in Parintins, argues 99 percent of the harpy’s prey is arboreal. On the right side of the picture, the howler monkey, also known as Bugio, is part of its diet

The study about the harpy is more than anything an exciting lesson of patience. Owner of discrete habits and often silent, this eagle is considered the strongest in the world because its claws can carry a prey which weights as much as it does. Males weight about 6kg (13.2 lbs.) and females about 10kg (22 lbs.). Unlike other birds the harpy vocalizes only during mating periods and when feeding its nestlings. Therefore, it is not so simple of a task to identify its presence in the forest; thus almost always requiring from the researcher few techniques used by its own object of study. Breathe to climb trees above 40 meters tall (131.2 feet), physical strength, and a reﬁned sense of observation are some of the requirements to spy on the harpy while it is majestically housed in the canopy, as well as to try and decipher some of the mysteries of the bird that exceeds two meters (6.5 feet) in wingspan. It is from these tall trees with privileged view of the forest that the far-sighted and highly developed hearing harpy, after detecting its prey, takes ﬂight in high speed to attack with perspicacity. The ability to rotate its head 180 degrees also contributes to the success of the hunt. Its target is primarily arboreal herbivorous animals, such as sloths and monkeys. Other vertebrates which also inhabit the canopy, such as porcupines, toucans and macaws, complement this predator’s diet. In Brazil, the harpy lives in the Amazon and Atlantic rainforest and in the riparian forests of the Cerrado. In the riparian forests, as well as in Pantanal it ﬂies over open green areas between mountains and rivers, feeding on armadillo, deer and coati.

A Conservation Program The ﬁrst description of the harpy in the books was made by European naturalists in the eighteenth century, when the species lived in most of the great forests from southern Mexico to northern Argentina. Nearly three centuries of overexploitation of natural resources are between these publications and the ﬁrst Brazilian research and conservation project about the species. The discovery of a nest near Manaus in 1999, prompted researchers from the National Institute of Amazonian Research (INPA) to turn their attention to the species. After that, new nests were recorded, mapped and monitored by biologists ans climbers who form a multidisciplinary team in the “Programa de Conservação do Gavião Real” (Harpy Eagle Conservation Program). The project was named after one of the many names by which the eagle is known in the country. The nickname “gaviãoreal” (royal eagle) is due to the impressive size and the feather crown on its head. The scientiﬁc name Harpy harpyja refers to Greek mythology being which is half eagle and half woman. However, among the people of the forest there are many nicknames: “Uiraçu-falso” (fake uiraçu), “gavião-preguiça” (sloth-hawk), and gavião-neném” (baby-hawk). In a decade, the work of the program was made possible only with the collaboration of other good local observers. For

the search of nests, INPA relies on the cooperation of various sources, mostly proprietors or neighbors of lands where harpies were seen, and the precious help of the staff of protected areas. Because of that, the strategy used in the Harpy Eagle Conservation Program is linked mainly to the involvement of traditional communities of the surroundings of the protected areas, and to the consolidation of partnerships with federal, state, and private institutions. These strategies facilitate the disclosure of the importance of environmental preservation and of the successful results already achieved. This network support enhances the activities of the biologists of the project in different fronts. It identiﬁes the processes and variables that inﬂuence the distribution and abundance of the harpy in the Brazilian forests, and studies the degree of loyalty from species to nesting areas. Quantitative and qualitative analysis of collected preys are run in order to identify the animal’s diet. With the use of technology, the monitoring of young eagles by telemetry is another ﬁeld of research. The tool helps determine the population dispersion, while analysis of population density contributes to a more accurate deﬁnition of the status of the species’ preservation. A group of researchers in a laboratory run genetic studies and collaborates with captive breeding programs of the species. Rehabilitation and reintroduction might also contribute, in some cases, to the expansion of protected areas, and to add value to existing forests in the surrounding areas.

Threat The presence of this bird of prey collaborates with the natural equilibrium in the ecosystems where it lives. The harpy can control the number of individuals of prey species. Hence the importance of its preservation, as it is considered an “umbrella” in other species protection. Located on top of the food chain, the harpy has no predators other than men, which, historically, have been devastating their habitat. The indiscriminate hunt and the use of the harpy in traditional rites of some societies also contributed to its endangerment according to the list of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). It is important to note that the conservation status of the harpy eagle in Brazil is a controversial data. The large geographical extent of our country provides contrasts. For instance, the existence of wide preserved forest areas in regions such as the Legal Amazon, where the population of the eagle still seems to be guarded, contrasts with the great anthropogenic pressure in areas such as the states of Espírito Santo, São Paulo and Rio Grande do Sul. These states, while part of the Atlantic rainforest biome, are in lists that make the harpy’s endangerment ofﬁcial. There is still time to reverse the situation. Therefore, political, social, and economic measures based on data collected by researchers who seek answers to environmental conservation are imperative. The charisma of species such as the harpy eagle, considered by some indigenous people as the queen of the forest, can form a large network for maintenance of biodiversity and of men, who are, like any other species, so dependent on this planet.

It has been thirty years since I ﬁrst saw a harpy eagle in nature. I was wondering around Vila Rica, northeast of Mato Grosso, in one of the most preserved places in which I have ever been. Landing on a branch on the dry bank of the river, the harpy eagle suspiciously gazed at me. Petriﬁed and astonished, I watched the grandeur and beauty of this bird. This image is still clearly engraved in my memory. Years later, we have already been working with extremely positive results in breeding and reintroducing into nature the red-billed curassow (Crax blumenbachii), the black-fronted piping-guan (Pipile jacutinga), and the solitary tinamou (Tinamus solitarius) in remnant areas of the Atlantic rainforest. Due to the success achieved by working with these endangered species, we set off for a new challenge: Develop a similar program for the Harpya harpyja. The ﬁrst formation of a harpy couple in CRAX happened in 1998. To our delight, in April 1999, our research succeeded in getting a nestling to be hatched and parent raised in captivity. The work with reproduction succeeded and eleven more animals of this species were conceived in our research center in Contagem, Minas Gerais. These numbers encouraged us to move to the following phase. In mid-2006, in order to come up with an interdisciplinary project aiming at the reintroduction of harpies into nature, we gathered a group of leading researchers involved with the species. The plan was approved by IBAMA, but we didn’t get ﬁnancial aid for its implementation. Nowadays, I am sure Brazil is ready to channel empirical studies to a practical consequence: The reintroduction of this animal into the wild. We can achieve the same success that Spaniards achieved with their Spanish imperial eagle (Aquila adalberti), and United States with the iconic bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus). There is no point in continuing the research if the ultimate goal is not the closing of a cycle: The return of the species to the forests. If we follow the pioneering example of working with the red-billed curassow, which starting from eight animals three hundred were reintroduced into nature, in a few decades we will be able to see the harpy ﬂying in the remnants of Atlantic rainforest.

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Recently, a great achievement in Brazil broke several taboos and reheated the debate on the subject. For the ﬁrst time an

eagle after being in captivity for more than ten years was released and reintroduced to its habitat. It was a female, captured nearly 13 years ago on a farm, in Bahia. Researches, rehabilitation, and follow-up assessments considered the animal capable of returning to nature. The eagle then lifted its ﬁrst ﬂight in August this year, on the private nature reserve (PRNP) “Estação Veracel” in Porto Seguro. Constant monitoring of this animal free in the forest gives us important insights into believing that , its adaptation and equilibrium with nature is possible, despite the long time away. I dream of the day when people will know more about the harpy and will get involved in preservation projects, not only for this eagle but for the entire ecosystem involved. Disclosing the beauty and importance of the harpy as a ﬂagship species to environment protection is crucial to an ecological training, as well as to encourage the search for new projects. I believe this bird of prey, because of its mythical legends in Central and South America, can become an icon of the environmental programs, as it did in Ecuador and Panama. In both countries, the harpy is representative of biological diversity. Keeping an eye on the future, the work developed in the Carajás National Forest is an example of local community participation in the ﬁght for preservation. This kind of action should be spread throughout the country, and policies must encourage and support the development of projects about endangered species. Initiatives of this magnitude do not have immediate results, but in the long run can contribute to the improvement of life quality on the planet. I believe this beautiful publication is one more step in this long journey.

Ao contrário de outros pontos de pesquisa, nos quais o acesso aos ninhos só se faz por meio de trilhas ou rios, as diversas estradas que cruzam a Floresta Nacional de Carajás tornam o trabalho mais dinâmico e produtivo l The various roads in the Carajás National Forest make the work more dynamic and productive, as opposed to what occurs in other research areas where access to nests is only through trails or rivers

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Com um hálux de até 7 cm, a garra de uma harpia é maior do que a do urso-marrom americano l With its hallux up to 7 cm long (2.75 in.) a harpy’s claw is bigger than that of a brown bear

Aproveitando toda a sua envergadura, uma harpia se projeta do alto de uma castanheira. Carajás, Pará l Beneﬁtting from its wide wingspan the harpy protrudes from the top of a chestnut tree. Carajás, Pará

Populações tradicionais conservam lendas sobre a captura de crianças por harpias, uma das principais razões para o abate dessas aves l Traditional people keep legends alive, such as harpies capturing children; this is one of the main reasons for the killing of these birds

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Os primeiros voos dos ﬁlhotes costumam acontecer entre os galhos da árvore do próprio ninho. Os machos, por serem mais leves, iniciam essas tentativas aos 5 meses, enquanto as fêmeas podem demorar até 7 meses para começar a sair do ninho. Carajás, Pará l The nestling’s ﬁrst ﬂight is normally between the branches of the tree where its nest is located. Because they are lighter than the females, males start these attempts when they are 5 months old while females may take up to 7 months to leave the nest. Carajás, Pará

About the autor
In February 2006, an essay on the harpies published in National Geographic Brazil was the ﬁrst publication about João Marcos Rosa’s valuable work on the largest bird of prey in the Americas. It now culminates in the publication of this groundbreaking book. The idea of documenting this extraordinary species, the Harpy harpyja, arose in 2004. When João was introduced to the harpy in Parintins (AM), the sound of chain saws next to the eagle’s nests warned him: It was necessary to show that the bird, despite being apparently imposing, was vulnerable and exposed to the folly of its habitat deforestation. Early in his career, João served as assistant to Araquém Alcântara who has been for over 30 years an important ﬁgure in environmental photography in Brazil. João inherited from him knowledge in using natural light and certain poetic vein to compose pictures of wildlife. Nevertheless, in an underlying aspect, the diversity of animals’ behavior, João went further. This book attests that. He traveled dozens of times to the Pará, Mato Grosso do Sul, Amazonas, Bahia and Venezuela – he spent thousands of hours either on a plane, boat, canoe, ferry, helicopter, walking, or in a car. As done for the National Geographic magazine, which preaches the total immersion of the photographer into the environment of the species – whether it’s a polar bear or an ant – João had to literally get off the ground. He learned to climb trees to reach nests. He faced an old fear of heights (he says it still exists) to see the harpy’s life from its angle: the top. In the Amazon and in the Atlantic rainforest, he caught unseen images of the harpies hunting, showing their wingspan in full ﬂights, protecting their nests, and feeding their nestlings. During his journey to Parintins, he had a remarkable moment when amazed at the beauty of the enormous animal crossing the sky he couldn’t trigger his camera. With trembling hands, a few seconds later he could ﬁnally catch the image of the bird landing on the tree with a prey in its claws. And, seeking a balance between wildlife records and science, his work progressed toward recording the daily life of researchers in the ﬁeld, in laboratories, and the efforts of captive breeding. The most special moments of his long journey has certainly happened in the Carajás National Forest (PA) in 2009. From a 35m tall platform (114.8 feet) built on a chestnut tree he could follow the copulation of a couple of harpies, the hatch of an egg, the birth and development of the nestling. The history of this bird of Carajás is symbolic: As João Marcos Rosa’s pictures show us, fortunately, life is renewed for the harpies in Brazil, and this book is an encouragement for the preservation of the species. Ronaldo Ribeiro Senior Editor - National Geographic Brazil